Needle-threader.



PATENTBD JAN. 7, 1908.

G. A. MURPHY.

NEEDLE THRBADER.

APPLIOATION FILED 313.27. 1901.

o4. wAsumcmu. n. c.

COLONEL A. MURPHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE-THREADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7', 1908.

Application filed February 27, 1907. Serial No. 359564.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COLONEL A. MURPHY, citizen of the United States, residing at (hicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful I1nprovements in Needle-'lhreaders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvement in needle threaders, and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a portable threader adapted to thread a needle having an eye near the point thereof, such as a sewing machine needle; and, second, the provision of an im roved threader at low initial cost, practica in operation, for the purpose of threading any sewing instrument.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the novel features and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a threader for an ordinary sewing needle, in which the eye is near the heel of the needle. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a threader for a sewingmachine needle, in which the eye is near the point of the needle. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged central longitudinal section showing ordinary needle in position on the threading member. Fig. 6 is an enlarged end elevation of a threader for an ordinary needle. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a threader for a sewing-machine needle, and Fig. 8 is a view of a blank as it comes from the die, one end partly broken away.

One embodiment of my invention will now be described. The body portion, 9, may be made in any desired manner, and of any suitable material. Preferably the portion 9 is made from thin sheet metal by the use of a die and folded to have two thicknesses of the material to afford lightness and strength. For the purpose of providing a needle receiving roove and a needle stop one end of the blan shown in Fig. 8 (that is to say parts 13, 13 and 11) is formed as shown in Fig. 7, the part 11 being formed with the side walls sufliciently apart to accommodate the thickness of needle to be threaded and constitute a needle stop, and the parts 13, 13 being formed sufficiently apart to serve as guide-arms upon either side of a needle to be threaded. The main purpose of the guide-arms is to cause the threader to approach the needle substantially parallel with the free end of the thread ing member, 10, and its hook, it being understood that the eye of a sewing needle is elongated axially of the needle. member, 10, is provided with the usual hook at its free end for the purpose of grasping the thread and carrying the same through the eye of the needle as'the member is with- The threading drawn. The chief purpose of the stop, 11, is

to limit the movement of the threader relatively to the needle to a position to register the threading member with the eye of the needle.

The threading member, 10, is made of steel wire small enough to readily pass through the eye of the needle after a suitable hook is formed on the free end of the member. The position in which the member 10 is fastened in the end of the body 9 will depend upon the distance from the stop 11 to the center of the eye of the needle, which will vary with size and kind of needles, and whether the eye is near the heel or the point of the needle. member 10 may be secured in place in any suitable or desired manner. I have shown a perforation, 14, and have extended the stem of the member back past such perforation and filled the hole, 14, with solder, thus fastening the member. The body portion, 9, preferably is flat and elongated and is transversely slotted or suitably cut away at one end, as at 15, to receive the thread. In Fig. 1 I have a V-shaped slot, but do not wish to be limited to any particular form of slot. Preferably the slot 15 is given a form that will facilitate the prompt movement of the thread, 17, to a position before the hook of member 10 that the latter may be withdrawn from the eye of the needle, 16. It will be noted that the threader is open at one end and may be advanced to the needle at right angle therewith. It will be noticed I employ guide-arms 13, 13 sufliciently apart to serve as guides but not to offer resistance to advance of the threader upon the needle.

In manufacture, the distance from the point of a sewing-machine needle to the center of the eye is predetermined and the member 10 set so that it is only necessary to The ' the :guide-anms on either side of the needle.

It will be apparent this maybe accomplished by taking the form shown in Fig. 2 in the right hand and advancing the threader to the left until the needle is between the guide arms 1-3, 13, then :raising the threader until the stop is up against the point of the needle, when the member 10 will register with the eye of the needle and :may be pushed or extended therethrough to grasp the thread and the two :be withdrawn in the act of moving the threader to the 'ri ht.

Having thus fu ly described myinvention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a sewing machine needle threader, the combination of an elongated body portion having one end transversely slotted to receive the thread, an immovable threadin member extending longitudinally of sai body portion, and a stop at the bottom of the body portion to limit the movement of the threader to a position to re ister the threading member with the eye OI the needle, substantially as shown and described.

2. Ina sewing machine needle threader, the combination of an elongated body portion having one end transversely slotted, an immovable threading member extending longitudinally of said body portion, a stop at the bottom of the body portion to limit the movement of the threader to a position to register the threading memberwith the eye of the needle, and a guide-arm, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a sewing machine needle threader, the combination of an elongated body portion having one end transversely slotted, an immovable threading member extending longitudinally of said body portion, a stop at the bottom of the body portion to limit the movement of the threader to a'position to register the threading'member with the eye of the needle, and approximately parallel guide-arms to keep the needle substantially parallel with the free end of the threading member and its hook, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a sewing machine needle threader, the combination of a fiat elongated body portion having one end transversely slotted, an immovable threading member extending longitudinally of said body portion, a stop at the bottom of the body portion to limit the movement of the threader to a position to register the threading member with the eye of the needle, and approximately parallel guide-arms to keep the needle substantially parallel with the free end of the threading member and its hook, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

COLONEL A. MURPHY.

Witnesses:

FRED DE CARDY, S. ELVA KELLOGG. 

